This manual present methods in a seedling screen for Ganoderma resistance/susceptibility in oil palm (Elaeis guineensis), which means large numbers of seedlings can be screened at the nursery level, and hence allow large numbers to be handled. The results of such selection will give palms, families and populations that can be used in further selection or advancement to commercialization. These then will be grown in a system that also uses appropriate husbandry techniques and biological controls, which in unison prevent or reduce Ganoderma incidence, in other words, in integrated management systems. Topics discussed include: health and safety considerations in the laboratory and nursery; media preparation for in vitro culture of Ganoderma; collecting Ganoderma isolates and culture preparation; preparation of Ganoderma inoculum; nursery inoculation; and scoring response to Ganoderma. Target audiences are students and researchers in agriculture, plant pathologists, plant breeders, growers and end-users interested in the practicalities of oil palm breeding.

• Nursery Screening for Ganoderma Response in Oil Palm Seedlings:
  • Copyright
  • Series Foreword – Techniques in Plantation Science
• Contents
• 1 Introduction
  • 1.1 Ganoderma Disease of Oil Palm
  • 1.2 Basal Stem Rot Disease
  • 1.3 Cause of Basal Stem Rot Disease
  • 1.4 Ganoderma Diversity
  • 1.5 Ganoderma Pathogenicity
  • 1.6 Management Control of Basal Stem Rot
    • Chemical control
    • Biological control
    • Agronomic practice
    • Breeding
  • 1.7 Genetic Potency of Ganoderma Partial Resistance
  • 1.8 Screening for Ganoderma Partial Resistance
  • 1.9 Early Screening for Ganoderma Partial Resistance/Susceptibility in the Nursery
  • References
• 2 Health and Safety Considerations
  • 2.1 Health and Safety in the Laboratory
  • 2.2 Health and Safety in the Nursery
  • References
• 3 Media Preparation for In Vitro Culture of Ganoderma
  • 3.1 Water Agar Medium
    • Methods for 1 l of WA
  • 3.2 Ganoderma Selective Medium
    • Methods for 1 l of GSM
  • 3.3 Potato Dextrose Agar Medium
    • Methods for 1 l of PDA ( Table 3.1) medium
  • References
• 4 Collecting Ganoderma Isolates and Culture Preparation
  • 4.1 Dikaryotic Mycelium Isolation from Basidiocarps
    • Methods
  • 4.2 Isolation from Infected Tissues
    • Methods
  • 4.3 Single Basidiospore Isolation
    • Methods
  • 4.4 Ganoderma Culture Preparation
    • Methods
  • Reference
• 5 Preparation of Ganoderma Inoculum
  • 5.1 Preparation of Potato Agar Medium
    • Methods
  • 5.2 Preparation of Rubber Wood Blocks
    • Methods
  • 5.3 Inoculation of Rubber Wood Blocks
    • Methods
  • 5.4 Incubation of Rubber Wood Blocks
    • Methods
  • References
• 6 Nursery Inoculation
  • 6.1 Nursery Preparation
    • Methods
  • 6.2 Selection of Inoculated Rubber Wood Blocks
    • Methods
  • 6.3 Nursery Inoculation
    • Methods
  • 6.4 Planting
    • Methods
• 7 Scoring Response to Ganoderma
  • 7.1 External Observations
    • Methods
  • 7.2 Internal Observations
    • Methods
  • References
• 8 Future Possibilities
  • 8.1 Gene or Marker Detection for Ganoderma Partial Resistance
  • 8.2 Trichoderma and Other Biocontrol Agents
  • 8.3 Other Oil Palm Seedling Screening Targets
  • References
• Index